Lid and Apparatus Including Lid

ABSTRACT

An apparatus comprises a first container with a first rim around a first opening, a second container with a second rim around a second opening, and a lid comprising at least a first and an opposite second side. The lid is configured to fit around the outside of the first rim of the first container and is configured to fit against the inside of the second rim of the second container.

REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION

The present application claims priority to United Kingdom patentapplication GB1817111.6 filed on Oct. 19, 2018 and having the same titleas the instant application, wherein this priority application isincorporated in its entirety by this reference.

FIELD

Containers such as bowls and lids for such containers are disclosed.

BACKGROUND

Food may be sold in bowls or other containers closed off with lids. Infood preparation kitchens and take-away outlets, such as delicatessencounters and self-serve food outlets, it is common to wish to provide anumber of different types of bowl of similar size. For example, it maybe desirable to provide a bowl made from a plastics material for holdingcertain types of food and a bowl made from bagasse or another plantmaterial to hold other types of food. These bowls typically havedifferent sizes and different types of rim and require different lids.Even if the rims have similar sizes, lids which are in use to fit aroundthe relatively wide rims of containers made from plastics areunsatisfactory to use with paper containers as, if they are of thecorrect size to clip around the rim, they will be difficult to remove.Accordingly, commercial kitchens and outlets typically require differentlids for different types of container, even where the containers are ofsimilar size. This leads to practical problems, as multiple types of lidmust be stocked and made available, and users who may select between twoor more different types of containers have to concentrate as to whichlid to use with the containers which they select.

The present invention seeks to provide containers and lids which reduceor obviate these problems.

SUMMARY

A first aspect of the invention provides apparatus comprising a firstcontainer with a first rim, a second container with a second rim, and alid comprising a first (top) and an opposite second (under) side. Thelid is configured to fit around the outside of the first rim of thefirst container, and is configured to fit against the inside of thesecond rim of the second container. Thus, the lid may have a formationconfigured to fit around the outside of the first rim of the firstcontainer, and a formation configured to fit against the inside of thesecond rim of the second container. Typically, the lid is configured toform an outside fit with the first container and is configured to forman inside fit with the second container.

Typically, the lid comprises a peripheral channel forming a recess inthe second side (underside), wherein the peripheral channel has aninnermost and outermost internal wall. The outermost internal wall ofthe peripheral channel is configured to grip around the outside of therim of the first container when the second side (underside) of the lidis fitted to the opening of the first container, and the innermostinternal wall of the peripheral channel is configured to fit against andgrip the inside of the rim of the second container when the second side(underside) of the lid is fitted to the opening of the second container.

In other words, the same lid may be fitted onto either the first orsecond containers, i.e. secured on the openings (i.e. tops) of thecontainers. That is, the lid fits onto the containers in order to cover(and typically to close off) the opening of the container. Preferably,when fitted, the lid comes into contact with (i.e. fits onto) the firstcontainer at one side of the peripheral channel (the outermost internalwall) and fits onto the second container at the other side of theperipheral channel (the innermost internal wall). The lid may thereforebe fastened to either the first or second containers. Thisadvantageously leads to the user being able to fit the same lid ontoboth containers. This therefore removes any selection, or thinking,process from the user when fitting a lid onto either the first or secondcontainer. In other words, there is no need to select a particular lidfor the first or second containers as the lid of the apparatus may beused for either container. A single lid may be provided for use witheither container.

The rim of the first and second containers is the edge or border of theopening of the containers, the opening for example being at the topsideof the container. The rim may be considered to have an inner and outerportion, with the inner portion being on the inside of the container andthe outer portion being on the outer side of the container. The rim mayinclude an outward protrusion at the outer edge of the opening of thecontainer. The rim may include an inward indentation at the outer edgeof the container which exists below the opening of the container, i.e.along the side of the container.

The first and second container may be any combination of foodcontainers. For example, either container or both containers may be abowl (such as a salad bowl), a shallow depth plate, a takeaway box, atray, a pot, a mug, or a soup container. The person skilled in the artwill appreciate that the provided examples are merely exemplary and doesnot exclude any other suitable containers which are used as a foodcontainer.

In some embodiments, the depth of the peripheral channel may be between0.5 to 1 centimetre. It may be that the depth of the peripheral channelmay be 0.9 centimetres. In some embodiments, the rim of the firstcontainer may be 0.3 to 0.7 centimetres deep (i.e. from the top of theopening towards the base of the first container). It may be that the rimof the first container may be 0.5 centimetres deep. In some embodiments,the rim of the second container may be 0.3 to 0.7 centimetres deep (i.e.from the top of the opening towards the base of the second container).It may be that the rim of the second container may be 0.5 centimetresdeep.

It may be that the thickness of the lid remains constant across theentirety of the lid.

Typically, the outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel maycomprise a clipping formation configured to grip around the outside ofthe rim of the first container. This allows the lid to be securelyfitted onto the first container such that the lid may not accidentlyfall off the first container when fitted, especially if the firstcontainer with the lid fitted onto it is rotated around the differentaxes of rotation. Typically, the clipping formation is sufficient tomaintain a secure fit of the lid onto the first container even when thefirst container is turned upside down (i.e. the opening of the firstcontainer faces the ground); this includes any additional force that thelid may be subjected to from any contents sealed within the firstcontainer.

The clipping formation of the outermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel may comprise a lip at a bottom portion of the outmost internalwall to clip around the outside of the rim of the first container.

Typically, the rim of the first container may protrude outwardly fromthe outermost side of the container and that the lid fits around the rimsuch that the lip hooks under the rim of the first container to securethe lid onto the first container; in other words, the lid is clippedonto the first container. That is, the lip protrudes inwardly towardsthe centre of the lid. Typically, the lip is in contact with at least aportion of the underside of the rim of the first container.

The rim of the first container may comprise an inward indentation at thesame level as the lip of the lid. When the lid is fitted onto the firstcontainer, the lid is clipped onto the first container by the lip of thelid fitting into the inward indentation of the first container. Theinward indentation and the lip have similar dimensions (similar angle ofcurvature and size). The lip of the lid allows the clipping formation tosecure the lid onto the first container. This therefore requires acertain degree of force to be applied to the lid to overcome theclipping formation and therefore remove the lid from the first containerwhen securely fitted. A user is required to apply a leverage force toremove the lid.

It may be that when the lid is fitted on the first container, theclipping formation is achieved by the outermost internal wall of theperipheral channel being flush with the outside of the rim of the firstcontainer. This may, for example, create an interference fit between thelid and the first container. The dimensions of the lid and rim of thefirst container may be similar in order to achieve a flush fit.

The first container and the lid may be circular, and the opening of thefirst container may have a diameter of 18 to 19 centimetres and theoutermost internal wall of the peripheral channel may have a diameter of18 to 19 centimetres. It may be that there is a small discrepancybetween the dimensions of the rim of the first container and the lid toallow a more secure fit to be achieved. It may be that the opening ofthe first container may have a diameter of 18.5 centimetres. It may bethat the opening of the outermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel may have a diameter of 18.4 centimetres.

The size of the first and second containers are standard sizes, e.g.within the catering sector. This enables the lid to be fitted onto twodifferent containers, such as food containers, which are known withinthe catering sector.

The rim of the second container and the innermost internal wall of theperipheral channel may be configured to cooperate together when the lidis fitted onto the opening of the second container. Typically, theinnermost internal wall of the peripheral channel is in contact with theinside of the rim of the second container such that an interference fit,for example, is created between the lid and the second container. Thistherefore allows the lid to be securely fitted onto the secondcontainer.

In some embodiments, the second container and the lid may be circular,and the opening of the second container may have a diameter of 16 to 17centimetres and the innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel ofthe lid may have a diameter of 16 to 17 centimetres. It may be thatthere is a small discrepancy between the dimensions of the opening ofthe second container and the innermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel of the lid to allow a more secure fit to be achieved. It may bethat the opening of the second container may have a diameter of 16.5centimetres. It may be that the innermost internal wall of theperipheral channel of the lid may have a diameter of 16.4 centimetres.

The inside of the rim of the second container may be slanted such that abottom portion of the inside of the rim of the second container isfurther away from the centre of the container than a top portion of theinside of the rim of the second container.

The innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel may be slantedsuch that a bottom portion of the innermost internal wall of theperipheral channel is further away from the centre of the lid than a topportion of the innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel.

Having the inside of the rim of the second container and the innermostinternal wall of the peripheral channel slanted to the same degreeallows the lid to have a more secure fit onto the second container. Thisis because the slanted nature of the lid and the rim of the secondcontainer creates a further barrier to be overcome in order to removethe lid when fitted. The lid may therefore be fitted securely onto thesecond container because the slant of the innermost internal wall of theperipheral channel fits flush with the slant of the inside of the rim ofthe second container. The interference fit between the lid and thesecond container has the additional barrier from the slanted fit suchthat additional force is required to overcome the fit and pry open thelid. This therefore leads to the lid having a more secure fit on thesecond container. The lid fitted onto the second container may beconfigured to be secure enough to maintain a secure fit when the secondcontainer is rotated around the different axes of rotation. Typically,the fit between the lid and the second container is configured to besecure to maintain a secure fit even when the second container is turnedupside down (i.e. the first side of the lid faces the ground); thisincludes any additional force that the lid may be subjected to from anycontents sealed within the second container.

It may be that a flange may be located at an end of an external wall ofthe peripheral channel. This flange allows the lid to be easily removedwhen fitted onto either of the containers; particularly when the lid issecured onto the first container which uses the outermost internal wallof the peripheral channel. In other words, the flange may be used toseparate the lid from a container by exerting, for example, an upwardforce on the flange of the lid (when the second side of the lid facesthe ground). The flange provides a means to open the lid from either thefirst or second container by leverage.

The peripheral channel may be wider than the rim of the first and secondcontainers. In other words, the spacing of the peripheral channel of thelid is larger than either of the rims of the first and secondcontainers. The outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel issufficient to secure the lid onto the first container without requiringany form of contact with the innermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel. The innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel issufficient to secure the lid onto the second container (e.g. via aninterference fit) without requiring any form of contact with theoutermost internal wall of the peripheral channel. The spacing thereforeallows room for the lid to flex when a force is applied to remove thelid from either the first or second container.

In some embodiments, the peripheral channel may be 0.5 to 1.5centimetres wide. It may be that the peripheral channel may be 1centimetre wide. In some embodiments, the peripheral channel may be lessthan 0.5 to 1 centimetre deep.

The width of the peripheral channel may be such that the outside of therim of the second container is not in contact with the outermostinternal wall of the peripheral channel. This allows for easier removalof the lid when fitted on the second container because leverage may beachieved as the outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel is notin contact with the rim of the second container. In other words, thespacing between the outside of the rim of the second container and theoutermost internal wall of the peripheral channel provides space for thelid to flex into when a force is applied to remove the lid from thesecond container.

The inside of the rim of the first container is not in contact with theinnermost internal wall of the peripheral channel. This allows the lidto be engaged with the first container more easily because there will bemore space within the peripheral channel to fit the rim of the firstcontainer into. Furthermore, removing the lid will be easier as there isspace for the lid to flex into when leveraging the lid off the firstcontainer.

The first side (e.g. topside) of the lid may comprise a groove betweenthe innermost external wall of the peripheral channel and the centre ofthe lid. This may allow objects to be placed, stored or stacked onto thelid.

In some embodiments, the groove may be 0.7 centimetres wide. It may bethat the groove is 0.5 to 1 centimetre wide.

The first container may have an underside which may be configured tocooperate with the groove on the first side of the lid. This thereforeallows the first container to be stacked on the lid, for example, whenthe second side (underside) of the lid faces the ground. Preferably, thegroove of the lid and underside of the first container should be ofsimilar dimensions such that when stacked (vertically stacked) anylateral movement of the first container is restricted. This preferablyprevents the stacked container from falling off the lid when subjectedto lateral movements. This is preferably the case where a plurality offirst containers are used, each respectively fitted with a plurality ofthe lid, and are vertically stacked on top of each other.

In some embodiments, the underside of the first container may be 16.5centimetres wide. It may be that the underside of the first containermay be 16 to 17 centimetres wide.

The first side of the lid may comprise a recess at the centre of thelid.

In some embodiments, the recess may be 9 centimetres wide. It may bethat the recess may be 8 to 10 centimetres wide. In some embodiments,the recess may have a depth of 0.3 centimetres. It may be that therecess may have a depth of 0.1 to 0.5 centimetres.

The second container has an underside which may be configured tocooperate with the recess of the lid. This allows the second containerto be stacked (vertically stacked) on top of the lid when the secondside (underside) of the lid faces the ground. Preferably, the recess atthe centre of the lid and the underside of the second container are ofsimilar dimensions such that lateral movements are restricted when thesecond container is stacked (e.g. vertically stacked) on the first sideof the lid. This is preferably the case where a plurality of secondcontainers are used, each respectively fitted with a plurality of thelid, and are vertically stacked on top of each other.

In some embodiments, the underside of the second container may be 8centimetres wide. It may be that the underside of the second containermay be 7 to 9 centimetres wide.

The first side (topside) of the lid may comprise a recess at the centreof the lid and may be configured to curve upwards between the groove andthe recess. This curvature is configured to allow the first side(topside) of the lid to bear a greater force exerted on it from above,such as heavier weights. This is of particular advantage when the secondcontainer, or a further second container, is stacked on top of the lid.Preferably, this is the case when multiple containers are stacked on topof the lid.

In some embodiments, the curvature of the lid is such that the distancebetween the base and top of the curvature is 1.2 centimetres. It may bethat the distance between the base and top of the curvature is 1 to 1.5centimetres.

The first container may be configured such that the side or sides of thefirst container extends beyond a bottom of the first container. In otherwords, there is a space on the underside of the first container betweenthe end of the side or sides of the container and the bottom of thefirst container.

In some embodiments, the distance between the end of the side or sidesand the bottom of the first container is 1 centimetre. It may be thatthe distance between the end of the side or sides and the bottom of thefirst container is 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres.

In some embodiments, the bottom of the first container may curve towardsthe opening of the first container. This allows the bottom of the firstcontainer to support greater weights stored within the first container.

The curvature of the first side of the lid between the groove and therecess may be configured to fit into the underside of the firstcontainer between the side or sides and the bottom of the firstcontainer when the first container is fitted into the groove on thefirst side of the lid. In other words, the curvature of the lid isconfigured to fit under the first container, so that the curvature ofthe lid does not prevent any portion of the underside of the firstcontainer from being in contact with the groove on the first side(topside) of the lid. The space between the end of the side or sides andthe bottom of the first container is greater than or equal to thecurvature of the lid.

The underside of the second container may comprise a protruding channelaround the centre of the second container configured to achieve apartial vacuum when the underside of the second container forms acooperative fit with the lid. In other words, the underside of thesecond container creates a suction effect when pressed against asurface, preferably a nonporous surface. This may therefore allow thestacking of the second container on the lid to have an additionalbarrier to prevent any motion from the second container when stacked,particularly any lateral motion. Although the partial vacuum will notprevent the second container from being removed when stacked, itprovides an additional aid in preventing at least some movement(typically lateral movement) and therefore allows the recess of the lidto have a similar or larger dimension than the protruding channel of thesecond container.

In some embodiments, the protruding base channel of the second containermay be 0.3 centimetres deep. It may be that the protruding base channelof the second container may be 0.1 to 0.5 centimetres deep. In someembodiments, the protruding base channel of the second container may be1 centimetre wide. It may be that the protruding base channel of thesecond container may be 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres wide.

The first container may be compostable. Typically, the first containermay be commercially compostable, i.e. the container may be compostedwith food waste.

It may be that the first container may be made from plants, such aspaper board, corn or sugarcane.

It may be that the rim of the first container may be circular.

The second container may be made from plants, such as polylactic acid(PLA) or recycled sugarcane (bagasse).

The rim of the second container may be circular.

The apparatus may be a food retaining apparatus such that the first andsecond containers are food containers.

A second aspect of the invention provides for a lid comprising at leasta first side and a second side, wherein the first and second sides areat opposite sides of the lid. The lid is configured to fit around theoutside of a rim of a (e.g. first) container, and is configured to fitagainst the inside of a rim of a different (e.g. second) container.Thus, the lid may have a formation configured to fit around the outsideof the rim of the (e.g. first) container, and a formation configured tofit against the inside of the rim of the different (e.g. second)container. Typically, the lid is configured to form an outside fit withthe (e.g. first) container and is configured to form an inside fit withthe different (e.g. second) container.

Typically, the lid comprises a peripheral channel on the second side(underside) of the lid, the peripheral channel having an outermostinternal wall and an innermost internal wall, wherein the innermostinternal wall is configured to engage with a rim of a (e.g. first)container and the outermost internal wall is configured to engage with arim of a different (e.g. second) container.

The outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel may be configuredto have a clipping formation. This allows the lid to grip around theoutside of a rim of a first container. The lid may be securely fittedonto the first container such that the lid may not accidently fall offthe first container when fitted, especially if the first container withthe lid fitted onto it is rotated around the different axes of rotation.Typically, the clipping formation is sufficient to maintain a secure fitof the lid onto the first container even when the first container isturned upside down (i.e. the opening of the first container faces theground); this includes any additional force that the lid may besubjected to from any contents sealed within the first container.

The clipping formation may comprise a lip at the bottom portion of theoutermost internal wall of the peripheral channel.

Typically, the lid fits around the rim such that the lip hooks under therim of the first container to secure the lid onto the first container;in other words, the lid is clipped onto the first container. That is,the lip protrudes inwardly towards the centre of the lid. Typically, thelip is in contact with at least a portion of the underside of the rim ofthe first container.

It may be that the rim of the first container may comprise an inwardindentation at the same level as the lip of the lid. When the lid isfitted onto the first container, the lid is clipped onto the firstcontainer by the lip of the lid fitting into the inward indentation ofthe first container. The inward indentation and the lip have similardimensions (similar angle of curvature and size).

The lip of the lid allows the clipping formation to secure the lid ontothe first container. This therefore requires a certain degree of forceto be applied to the lid to overcome the clipping formation andtherefore remove the lid from the first container when securely fitted.A user is required to apply a leverage force to remove the lid.

The innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel may be slantedsuch that a bottom portion of the innermost internal wall of theperipheral channel is further away from the centre of the lid than a topportion of the innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel.

If the rim of a second container is also slanted, the lid is configuredto cooperate with the rim of the second container such that a secure fitis achieved. Having the inside of the rim of the second container andthe innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel slanted to thesame degree allows the lid to have a more secure fit onto the secondcontainer. This is because the slanted nature of the lid and the rim ofthe second container creates a further barrier to be overcome in orderto remove the lid when fitted. The lid may therefore be fitted securelyonto the second container because the slant of the innermost internalwall of the peripheral channel fits flush with the slant of the insideof the rim of the second container. The slanted fit requires a force toovercome the secure fit and pry open the lid, therefore leading to thelid having a more secure fit on the second container. The lid fittedonto the second container may be configured to be secure enough tomaintain a secure fit when the second container is rotated around thedifferent axes of rotation. Typically, the fit between the lid and thesecond container is configured to be secure to maintain a secure fiteven when the second container is turned upside down (i.e. the firstside of the lid faces the ground); this includes any additional forcethat the lid may be subjected to from any contents sealed within thesecond container.

The lid may comprise a groove on the topside of the lid between theinnermost external wall of the peripheral channel and the centre of thelid. This may allow objects to be placed, stored or stacked onto thelid.

In some embodiments, the groove may be 0.7 centimetres wide. It may bethat the groove may be 0.5 to 1 centimetre wide.

The lid may comprise a recess on the topside of the lid at the centre ofthe lid.

In some embodiments, the recess is 9 centimetres wide. It may be thatthe recess is 8 to 10 centimetres wide. In some embodiments, the recesshas a depth of 0.3 centimetres. It may be that the recess has a depth of0.1 to 0.5 centimetres.

The first side (topside) of the lid may be configured to curve upwardsbetween the groove and the recess. This curvature is configured to allowthe first side (topside) of the lid to bear a greater force exerted onit from above, such as heavier weights. This is of particular advantagewhen the second container, or a further second container, is stacked ontop of the lid. Preferably, this is the case when multiple containersare stacked on top of the lid.

In some embodiments of the second aspect, the curvature of the lid has aheight of 1.2 centimetres. It may be that the curvature of the lid has aheight of 1 to 1.5 centimetres.

The lid may be made from plants. The lid may, for example, be made frompolylactic acid (PLA).

The lid may be circular. This may allow the lid to be of a similar shapeas the opening of the containers if they are also circular. Having thelid and the opening of the containers all circular results in lessprotrusion of the lid when fitted on either container. I.e. lessmaterial is required for the lid to fit on both containers when theopenings of both containers are of a similar dimension and shape. Thelid may be circular even if the openings of the containers are of adifferent size. I.e. the containers may be of a different shape providedthat the peripheral channel of the lid is configured to grip the rims ofthe first and second containers.

In some embodiments, the thickness of the lid remains constant acrossthe entirety of the lid.

A third aspect of the invention provides for a method of providing theapparatus of the first aspect, selecting between the first and secondcontainers, putting food in the selected container, and closing theselected container with the lid to enclose the food.

A fourth aspect of the invention provides for a building comprising aroom, wherein the room has (one or more of) both the first and secondcontainers and (one or more of) the lid of the first aspect, and food.Typically, the room is for putting food into either the first or secondcontainer and fitting the container with the lid. It may be that theroom is a takeaway food vendor. It may be that the only lids in the roomthat fit either of the two containers is said lid according to the firstaspect. In some embodiments, the method of the third aspect of theinvention is carried out in a building according to the fourth aspect ofthe invention.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

An example embodiment of the present invention will now be illustratedwith reference to the following Figures in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an apparatus comprising a lid, a firstcontainer and a second container;

FIG. 2 is an expanded front view of the lid of FIG. 1.

FIG. 3A is a front view of the lid fitted on the first container;

FIG. 3B is a front view of the lid fitted on the second container;

FIG. 4A is a front view of a close-up of the peripheral channel of thelid of FIG. 1 with a lip on the outermost internal wall and a slantedinnermost internal wall;

FIG. 4B is a front view of a close-up of an alternative peripheralchannel of the lid of FIG. 1 which comprises only a lip on the outermostinternal wall;

FIG. 4C is a front view of a close-up of an alternative peripheralchannel of the lid of FIG. 1 which comprises only a slanted innermostinternal wall;

FIG. 5A is a front view of an alternative lid with only groove on thetop side of the lid;

FIG. 5B is a front view of the alternative lid including an upwardcurvature between the groove on the top side of the lid and the centreof the lid;

FIG. 5C is a front view of an alternative lid with only a recess on thetop side of the lid; and

FIG. 5D is a front view of an alternative lid with only a flange at anend of the outermost external wall of the peripheral channel.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF AN EXAMPLE EMBODIMENT

With reference to FIG. 1, there is a kit of parts 100 comprising a lid102, a first container 104 and a second container 106. The lid 102 isconfigured to fit on either the first container 104 or the secondcontainer 106. The first container 104 comprises an outward protrudingrim and the second container 106 comprises a slanted rim. The rim of thesecond container 106 may also comprise an outward overhang which allowsa user to easily handle the second container 106. The lid comprises afirst side and second opposite side, herein referred to as a topside andunderside, respectively. The opening of the first container may be widerthan the bottom. The second container may be more curved than the firstcontainer and be more resemblant to a bowl than the first container. Thefirst container and the second container may already be in use incatering sectors with established dimensions and uses.

FIG. 2 illustrates the lid 102. The lid 102 comprises a peripheralchannel 200 on the underside of the lid 102 which forms a recess aroundthe perimeter of the lid 102. The peripheral channel 200 exists aroundthe entire perimeter of the lid 102 regardless of the shape of the lid102, e.g. whether the lid 102 is rectangular or circular. The peripheralchannel 200 has an outermost external wall 202, an outermost internalwall 204 and an innermost internal wall 206. The peripheral channel 200also has an innermost external wall 208. The lid 102 further comprises alip 210 and a slanted innermost internal wall 212, each configured tocooperate with a rim of the first container 104 and the second container106, respectively.

The topside of the lid 102 also comprises a groove 214 between theinnermost external wall 208 of the peripheral channel 200 and the centreof the lid 102. The groove 214 is configured to cooperate with anunderside of a container, such as the first container 104, so that thecontainer may be stacked on top of the lid 102 (not shown).

The lid comprises an upward curvature 216 between the groove 214 and thecentre of the lid 102. The curvature 216 is configured to allow thetopside of the lid to bear greater forces exerted on it from above, suchas heavier weights. This is particularly important when the secondcontainer 106, or a further second container, is stacked on top of thelid 102. Preferably, the curvature 216 aids in preventing deformation ofthe lid 102 when multiple filled and sealed second containers arestacked on top of the lid 102.

The topside of the lid 102 further comprises a recess 218 about thecentre of the lid 102. The recess 218 is configured to cooperate with anunderside of a container, such as the second container, so that thecontainer may be stacked on top of the lid 102 (not shown).

Lid 102 also comprises a flange 220 at an end of the outermost externalwall 202 of the peripheral channel 200. The flange 220 is to be used toaid in removing the lid 90 when fitted on a container. This is ofparticular use when the lid 102 is secured onto a container such thatthe outermost internal wall 204 is used to cooperatively fit on thecontainer, such as the first container 104. That is, the flange 220allows the lid 90 to be easily removed, i.e. through leverage.

It is noted that the features of the lid 102 of FIG. 2 are notillustrated to scale. Preferably, the lid 102 is circular with adiameter of 18 to 19 centimetres. The innermost internal wall has adiameter of 16 to 17 centimetres. The outermost internal wall has adiameter of 18 to 19 centimetres. The peripheral channel 200 may have awidth of 0.5 to 1.5 centimetres and have a depth between 0.5 to 1centimetre. The groove 214 is 0.5 to 1 centimetre wide and 0.5 to 1centimetre deep. The lid 102 has a height of 1 to 2 centimetres,preferably 1.5 centimetres. The recess 218 has a diameter of 8 to 9centimetres and is 0.1 to 0.5 centimetres deep. The length of the flange220 may be 0.1 to 0.2 centimetres. Preferably, the lid 102 has a uniformthickness of 0.3 millimetres.

FIG. 3 illustrates the lid 102 fitted on the first container 104 (FIG.3A) and fitted on the second container 106 (FIG. 3B). Securing the lid102 onto either the first container 104 or the second container 106requires the use of force to ensure a secure fit. For example, to securethe lid onto the first container 104, a force is required to make thelip of the lid 102 fit around the rim of the first container 104.Similarly, a force is required to make the slanted innermost internalwall of the lid 102 fit around the rim of the second container 106.

With reference to FIG. 3A, the peripheral channel 200 is configured suchthat the lid 102 is fitted on the first container 104 by contact betweenthe outermost internal wall 204 of the peripheral channel 200 and theoutside of the rim of the first container 104. In other words, the lid102 is configured to cooperate with the outside of the opening of thefirst container 104. The lid 102 may form an outside fit around theoutside of the opening of the first container 104. The lid 102cooperates with the first container 104 to cover and close off theopening of the first container 104. That is, the lid 102 is secured ontothe first container 104.

The lid 102 may be secured onto the first container 104 by placing thelid on top of the opening of the first container 104, aligning theperipheral channel and the rim of the first container 104, and applyinga downward force on the lid 102 such that the rim fits inside theperipheral channel 200. The rim of the first container 104 fits insidethe peripheral channel 200 such that the lip 210 of the lid 102 gripsthe underside of the rim. When fitted, the lid closes the entire openingof the first container 104 thus preventing any contents, such as food,within the sealed first container 104 from escaping.

When fitted on the first container 104, the lid 102 can be removed bythe user applying an upward force on the flange at the end of theoutermost external wall of the lid. By applying leverage to the lid, theuser is capable of removing the rim of the first container from the lipof the lid 102. The lid can be made of a flexible material, such asplastic. This can allow the lid to flex when such an upward force isapplied to the lid 102, further allowing the lid 102 to be removed fromthe first container 104.

The first container 104 comprises a space underneath the bottom of thecontainer. In particular, this space is configured to allow the firstcontainer to be stacked on the topside of the lid. In particular, thespace underneath the first container is such that the curvature of thelid fits within said space. This therefore allows a plurality of firstcontainers to be stacked on one another without the need to change lid102.

Similarly, with reference to FIG. 3B, the peripheral channel of the lid102 is configured such that the lid 102 is fitted on the secondcontainer 106 by contact between the innermost internal wall 206 of theperipheral channel 200 which cooperates with the inside of an opening ofthe second container 106. That is, the lid 102 may form an inside fitaround the inside of the opening of the second container 106. It may bethat the opening of the second container 106 comprises a rim which thelid 102 cooperates with to cover and close off the opening of the secondcontainer 106. That is, the lid 102 is secured onto the second container106.

The lid 102 may be secured onto the second container 106 by placing thelid 102 on top of the opening of the second container 106, by aligningthe peripheral channel and the rim of the second container 106, andapplying a downward force on the lid 102. The rim of the secondcontainer 106 fits inside the peripheral channel 200 such that theslanted innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel grips againstthe slanted rim of the second container 106. When fitted, the lid closesthe entire opening of the second container 106 thus preventing anycontents, such as food, within the sealed first container 106 fromescaping.

When fitted on the second container 106, the lid 102 can be removed bythe user applying an upward force on the flange at the end of theoutermost external wall of the lid. By applying leverage to the lid, theuser is capable of removing the rim of the second container from the lipof the lid 102. The lid can be made of a flexible material, such asplastic. This can allow the lid to flex when such an upward force isapplied to the lid 102, further allowing the lid 102 to be removed fromthe second container 104. A flange on the lid 102 is not necessarilyrequired to allow for easy removal of the lid 102 when fitted on thesecond container 106. This is because the outermost internal wall of thelid 102 is not in contact with the rim of the second container 106 andcan therefore be used to achieve leverage when removing the lid 102 fromthe second container 106. Therefore, although the flange of the lid 102assists removal, it is not necessary to achieve easy removal of the lid102.

The bottom of the second container 106 may comprise a protrudingchannel. This protrusion is configured to allow the second container tobe stacked on the topside of the lid. That is, the protruding channel issuch that it cooperates with the recess on the topside of the lid 102.This therefore allows a plurality of second containers to be stacked onone another without the need to change the lid 102.

It may be that the peripheral channel 200 of the lid 102 is configuredsuch that when fitted on the first container 104, the innermost internalwall 206 is not in contact with the rim of the first container 104. Theperipheral channel 200 of the lid 102 may be such that when fitted onthe second container 106, the outermost internal wall 204 is not incontact with the rim of the second container 106. That is, when fittedon either the first container 104 or the second container 106, theperipheral channel 200 is wide enough to completely house the rim ofeither the first container 104 or the second container 106. In otherwords, when fitted, the rim of the container is only in contact with oneside of the peripheral channel 200. This allows the lid 102 space toflex into when a user applies leverage to remove the lid 102 when fittedon a container. Particularly, it allows the peripheral channel space toflex because the peripheral channel has at least one internal wall whichis not in contact with the container.

The lid 102 is configured to fit onto both the first container 104 andthe second container 106 by using either the outermost 204 or innermost206 internal wall of the peripheral channel 200 of the lid 102,respectively. That is, the lid is capable of fitting onto two differentcontainers by two different means.

With reference to FIG. 4, close-up views of embodiments of theperipheral channel 200 are provided. FIG. 4A illustrates a peripheralchannel 200 which has a lip 210 at the outermost internal wall 204 and aslanted innermost wall 212, as illustrated previously. The lip 210 canbe used to grip around a rim of a container, such as a rim around theopening of the first container 104. That is, the rim of the containermay protrude outwardly from the edge of the container. Alternatively,the lip 210 may grip around an inward indentation that exists on theedge of the container, such as on the first container 104. The positionof the lip 210 on the outermost internal wall is configured such thatthe lid 102 cooperates with the rim of the first container 104, whetherthe rim protrudes outwardly such that the lip 210 is to grip around, orwhether an inward indentation such that the lip 210 is to cooperatewith. That is, this embodiment of the peripheral channel is capable ofcooperating with two different containers with different types of rims.This allows a user to achieve a secure fit on different containers usingthe same lid.

FIG. 4B illustrates an alternative peripheral channel 200 with only alip 210 at the outermost internal wall 204. The lip is configured tooperate in a similar manner as described with reference to FIG. 4A.However, the innermost internal wall 206 is not slanted and instead isflat. In this embodiment, the innermost internal wall 206 is configuredto create an interference fit when fitted onto a container requiring theinnermost internal wall 206 to secure the lid. That is, the innermostinternal wall 206 is configured to cooperate with a flat rim of acontainer. The interference fit is configured to secure the lid 102 ontothe flat-rimmed container.

FIG. 4C illustrates an alternative peripheral channel 200 with only aslanted innermost internal wall 212. The peripheral channel 200 can beused to cooperate with a slanted rim of a container, such as the secondcontainer 106 as described in reference to FIG. 4A. That is, the slantedrim of the container can have a similar slant to the peripheral channel200 such that the lid 102 can be secured onto the container. Similar toFIG. 4B, the outermost internal wall 204 of the peripheral channel 200is configured to create an interference fit when fitted onto a containerrequiring the outermost internal wall 204 to secure the lid. That is,the outermost internal wall 206 is configured to cooperate with a flatrim of a container. The interference fit is configured to secure the lid102 onto the flat-rimmed container.

Although not shown, it may be that each of the peripheral channels ofFIG. 4 also comprise a flange, for example as illustrated in FIG. 2.This would preferably be the case for the alternative peripheral channelas illustrated in FIG. 4C because, without a flange, it would bedifficult for a user to remove the lid when fitted on a flat-rimmedcontainer. In other words, it would be difficult for the user to achieveleverage and pry off the lid from the container due to there beinglittle to grip on the outermost external wall 202.

It will be understood that the lid may comprise any number andcombination of the previously described features. In particular, FIG. 5illustrates a plurality of alternative lids, each comprising aperipheral channel 200 with both a lip 210 at the outermost internalwall 14 and a slanted innermost internal wall 212, but missing one ormore of the other features. These illustrations are not intended tolimit the possible combination of features, but rather provide examplesof alternative lids. It will be appreciated that any combination of theperipheral channels of FIG. 4 may also be used to achieve an alternativelid in accordance with the examples illustrated in FIG. 5.

FIG. 5A illustrates a lid with a groove 214 between an innermostexternal wall of the peripheral channel 200 and the centre of the lid.The groove 214 is such that an underside of a container, such as thefirst container 104, may be stacked on top of the lid 102 (not shown).That is, the underside of the container cooperates with groove 214. Itmay be that the thickness of the lid is uniform. This could be achievedby either having the topside depressed towards the underside of the lid,or have the underside of the lid follow the topside.

FIG. 5B illustrates an example of the underside following the topside ofthe lid. In this embodiment, the lid comprises the groove 214 and thecurvature 216 between groove 214 and the centre of the lid. This allowsfor additional space inside a container when the lid is secured on thecontainer. The curvature further allows the lid 70 to bear a greaterforce from above, i.e. force applied to the topside of the lid.

With reference to FIG. 5C, the topside of lid 80 also comprises therecess 218 at the centre of the lid. The recess 218 is such that anunderside of a container may be stacked on top of the lid 80 (notshown). That is, the underside of the container cooperates with recess218.

With reference to FIG. 5D, the lid only comprises the flange 220 at anend of the outermost external wall 202 of the peripheral channel 200.The flange 220 is to be used to aid in removing the lid 90 when fittedon a container. This is of particular use when the lid 90 is securedonto a container such that the outermost internal wall 204 is used tocooperatively fit on the container, such as the first container 104.That is, the flange 220 allows the lid 90 to be easily removed, i.e.through leverage.

In use, a user may have a stock of the first container 104, secondcontainer 106 and lid 102. The containers may be placed next to eachother, for example, in a room. The user can put food inside a containerand the lid 102 is used to secure the container. It may be that the userputs food inside a plurality of containers and secures the containerswith a plurality of the lid 102. Accordingly, apparatus 100 is usefulfor takeaway or similar food vendors. The food placed in the containermay be salad, or more generally food from a buffet. The user can fit thelid 102 on the container without thinking about which lid to use fortheir selection of container.

1. Apparatus comprising: a first container with a first rim around afirst opening; a second container with a second rim around a secondopening; and a lid comprising at least a first and an opposite secondside; wherein the lid is configured to fit around the outside of thefirst rim of the first container and is configured to fit against theinside of the second rim of the second container.
 2. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the lid comprises a peripheral channel forming a recessin the second side, wherein the peripheral channel has an innermost andoutermost internal wall, the outermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel is configured to grip around the outside of the rim of the firstcontainer when the second side of the lid is fitted to the opening ofthe first container, and the innermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel is configured to fit against and grip the inside of the rim ofthe second container when the second side of the lid is fitted to theopening of the second container.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, whereinthe outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel comprises aclipping formation configured to grip around the outside of the rim ofthe first container, wherein the clipping formation comprises a lip at abottom portion of the outermost internal wall to clip around the outsideof the rim of the first container.
 4. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein,when the lid is fitted on the first container, the clipping formation isachieved by the outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel beingflush with the outside of the rim of the first container.
 5. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the rim of the second container and theinnermost internal wall of the peripheral channel are configured tocooperate together when the lid is fitted onto the opening of the secondcontainer.
 6. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the inside of the rim ofthe second container is slanted such that a bottom portion of the insideof the rim of the second container is further away from the centre ofthe container than a top portion of the inside of the rim of the secondcontainer, and wherein the innermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel is slanted such that a bottom portion of the innermost internalwall of the peripheral channel is further away from the centre of thelid than a top portion of the innermost internal wall of the peripheralchannel, such that when the lid is fitted onto the opening of the secondcontainer the innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel fitsflush with the inside of the rim of the second container.
 7. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein a flange is located at an end of anexternal wall of the peripheral channel.
 8. The apparatus of claim 1,wherein the peripheral channel is wider than the rim of the first andsecond containers, wherein the width of the peripheral channel is suchthat the outside of the rim of the second container is not in contactwith the outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel and theinside of the rim of the first container is not in contact with theinnermost internal wall of the peripheral channel.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the first side of the lid comprises a groove betweenthe innermost external wall of the peripheral channel and the centre ofthe lid, and the first container has an underside which is configured tocooperate with the groove on the first side of the lid.
 10. Theapparatus of claim 1, wherein the first side of the lid comprises arecess at the centre of the lid and the second container has anunderside which is configured to cooperate with the recess of the lid.11. The apparatus of claim 9, wherein the first side of the lidcomprises a recess at the centre of the lid and wherein the first sideof the lid is configured to curve upwards between the groove and therecess.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein the first container isconfigured such that the side or sides of the first container extendsbeyond a bottom of the first container, and wherein the curvature of thefirst side of the lid between the groove and the recess is configured tofit into the underside of the first container between the side or sidesand the bottom of the first container when the first container is fittedinto the groove on the first side of the lid.
 13. The apparatus of anypreceding claim 1, wherein the underside of the second containercomprises a protruding channel around the centre of the second containerconfigured to achieve a partial vacuum when the underside of the secondcontainer forms a cooperative fit with the lid.
 14. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the first container is compostable, the secondcontainer is made from plants, and the rim of the first container andthe rim of the second container are circular.
 15. The apparatus of claim1, wherein the apparatus is a food retaining apparatus such that thefirst and second containers are food containers.
 16. The apparatus ofclaim 1, wherein the first container, the second container and the lidare made from plants, and are circular with a diameter between 16 and 19centimetres.
 17. A lid comprising: at least a first side and a secondside, wherein the first and second sides are at opposite sides of thelid; wherein the lid is configured to fit around the outside of a rim ofa container and is configured to fit against the inside of a rim of adifferent container.
 18. The lid of claim 17, wherein the lid comprisesa peripheral channel on the second side of the lid, the peripheralchannel having an outermost internal wall and an innermost internalwall, wherein the innermost internal wall is configured to engage withthe rim of the container and the outermost internal wall is configuredto engage with the rim of the different container.
 19. The lid of claim18, wherein the outermost internal wall of the peripheral channel isconfigured to have a clipping formation, wherein the clipping formationcomprises a lip at the bottom portion of the outermost internal wall ofthe peripheral channel.
 20. The lid of claim 18, wherein the innermostinternal wall of the peripheral channel is slanted such that a bottomportion of the innermost internal wall of the peripheral channel isfurther away from the centre of the lid than a top portion of theinnermost internal wall of the peripheral channel.
 21. The lid of anyone of claims 18, wherein the lid comprises a groove on the topside ofthe lid between the innermost external wall of the peripheral channeland the centre of the lid.
 22. The lid of any one of claims 18, whereinthe lid comprises a recess on the topside of the lid at the centre ofthe lid, and wherein the first side of the lid is configured to curveupwards between the groove and the recess.
 23. The lid of any one ofclaims 18, wherein the lid is made from plants and is circular.
 24. Amethod comprising: providing the apparatus of claim 1; selecting betweenthe first and second containers; putting food in the selected container;closing the selected container with the lid to enclose the food.
 25. Abuilding comprising a room, wherein the room comprises the apparatus ofclaim 1, and food.